Bio:

I was born on Idumea in 784.M41, and spent my early childhood working as a laborer in one of numerous factories. In addition to being a very intelligent child, I contracted a Meme-Virus at age 9, giving me an addiction to acquiring data of all kinds and a perfect ability to recall memories. These things were quickly noticed by the Adeptus Mechanicum, who brought me in for more formal tutelage. At age 12, having not yet completed my training within the Priesthood of Mars, he was unexpectedly transferred to a small institution known as the Hydragian College, also on Idumea. The Hydragian College was a private College under the Hetairea Lexus umbrella who had an ongoing agreement with the local Adeptus Mechaninicum to do research for them in exchange for artifacts and other technical goods.

I was among the youngest scholars at the college. Over the next decade, I studied and researched matters both mundane and profane under the care of a senior researcher named Hebron Eustasius. Beyond myself, Eustasius had two other pupils: Nicodemus Draco and Azrael Kai.

The college had many circles of secrecy. To earn the right to access the deeper libraries, one must both prove that one had mastered the more accessible and less restricted material as well as that one was capable of keeping secrets. Often an adept would be tested on these matters, sometimes being kidnapped in the middle of the night and questioned on matters within the colleges. Only by successfully mastering the duality of mastering knowledge and resisting interrogation would an adept be allowed further access. Though secrecy was paramount, even between peers, Nicodemus, Azrael, and I became close companions over the coming years.

I spent what what would come to be his final year at the College pouring over texts and occasionally artifacts of Xenos origin, with special focus on the Eldar (access to which I had only gained the year prior). Several months prior to what I ironically consider to be my departure, I was approached by an individual, clad all in black, claiming to be from the Ordo Malleus. He stated that he was investigating the Hydragian College and indicated that they may be harboring malevolent entities from the Immaterium. While the man revealed an Inquisitorial Rosette, he did not provide a name. Thinking this to be another test, I provided no information of any value to the man. Strangely, rather than pressing me further, he provided me with a small cylindrical device made of a strange metallic material I did not recognize. He indicated that if I were ever to come across the dangers he described within the college, to snap the cylinder in half, and help would arrive.

I felt the encounter to be quite atypical of the normal interrogations, but found it equally odd that this stranger would be interested in demonic entities within the colleges. While there were certainly tomes and occasionally artifacts that would warrant the Inquisition’s interest, certainly I had never come across an actual living creature.

Several months passed without issue, until one day Eustasius informed me that he would be witness to a graduation ceremony for the eldest of his three pupils, Nicodemus Draco. He stated that after the ceremony concluded, I was likely to have questions, and that he would do his best to answer them. Sadly, that opportunity never arose. That evening, I was taken to the ceremonial hall within the school, and was there joined by Eustasius, his other two pupils, and the rest of the senior researchers. A circle was formed around Eustasius and Nicodemius, and without further ceremony, Eustasius raised a tome and began to chant.

At this point, I noted four individuals, whom at the time I took for Tech-Priests, each standing in one of the four balconies above the hall. Each was heavily armed with ballistic cybernetics, and for reasons I cannot explain, the very sight of them made my guts turn to water.

Minutes passed, and with each passing moment, Eustasius’ chanting grew ever louder, and with a final command, he passed into silence. What followed would haunt me for the rest of my days, and even were I not gifted with such skills of recollection, I scarcely think I would ever forget it.

Nicodemius’ body was suffused with flowing shadow and an eerie red glow. Collapsing to the floor, he shuddered and convulsed, as Eustasius looked on. “Contain it my boy!” he yelled at Nicodemius, but it was to no avail. What I can only describe as fanged maws exploded from Nicodemius’ chest, each on the end of a four foot tentacle. These vile things wrapped around my mentor of over a decade, tore his throat out, and promptly began to devour him, while Nicodemius looked on screaming. At this point, the four guards atop the balconies jumped to the ground, and began to open fire on what was left on Nicodemius, while the assembled circle broke apart and fled. While I am not proud of it, I myself fled to my chambers, where I had been keeping the small cylinder all these months, snapped it in half, and promptly fled the building. I stole a hovercraft from the garage, and made off to the nearest town.

Several hours later I was picked up by the Inquisition. I received a full debriefing of what had occurred, but from what I was told and what I managed to assemble thereafter, it would appear that the Inquisition moved in with a full squadron, including several Adeptus Astartes and a number of Psykers, and had destroyed everyone in the College. Despite my training at evading interrogation, I broke before the Inquisition and told them everything I knew.

Given that I had no knowledge of whatever had happened there, and my experience with Xenos Lore, I was brought to serve under an Inquisitor named Al-Subai as an Acolyte. Having no real choice in the matter, and no where else to turn, I gladly accepted.

Months after to ordeal, I managed to secure partial records of the event in the Inquisitorial Libraries. While I was never able to secure details of the investigation, I was able to obtain records of the bodies recovered at the scene. I noted with both private rejoicing and dread that the name “Azrael Kai” was not among them.